Nama is not Inferior to Diksa
From the life of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur
Once, at the Baghbazar temple, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati saw the devotees sitting for prasāda. Kunjada had made a system whereby the dīkṣit (devotees who had taken dīkṣā) sat in a separate line from those who had only received hari-nāma initiation. Srila Prabhupada said, “Those who are dīkṣit are inferior to those who are taking shelter of the holy name, hari-nāmāśraya [although they were thinking dīkṣit superior]. Those who are dīkṣit don’t believe nāma nāmī abhinna — the name and the named are nondifferent. For them, arcanā (deity worship) is required.” He quoted many references from Caitanya Bhāgavata and Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Lord Chaitanya’s instructions to His followers were:
prabhu bale, — “kahilāṅa ei mahā-mantra
ihā japa’ giyā kariyā nirbandhaihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe sabāra
sarvakṣaṇa bala’ ithe vidhi nāhi āra
“The Lord said, ‘Regularly chant japa of this mahā-mantra. By this chanting you will attain all perfections. Chant at any time and in any circumstance. There are no rules for chanting.” [Cb. madhya 23.78]
“eka kṛṣṇa-nāme kare sarva-pāpa kṣaya
nava-vidhā bhakti-pūrṇa nāma haite haya
“Simply by chanting the holy name of Krishna, one is relieved from all of the reactions of a sinful life. One can complete the nine processes of devotional service simply by chanting the holy name.
dīkṣā-puraścaryā-vidhi apekṣā nā kare
jihvā-sparśe ā-caṇḍāla sabāre uddhāre
“One does not have to receive formal initiation (dīkṣā) nor undergo the various purificatory activities required before initiation known as the puraścaryā-vidhi. One simply has to vibrate the holy name with his lips. Thus even a man in the lowest caste [caṇḍāla] can be delivered.” [Cc. madhya 15.107–108]
Chanting of the holy name is not dependent on brahminical initiation or anything else. Those who were dīkṣit had been in the math longer. Because dīkṣā was awarded after hari-nāma, therefore they were thinking themselves superior.·
